#department of petroleum and energy

[zvaigzdelasas]

Israeli tanks, jets and bulldozers bombarding Gaza and razing homes in the occupied West Bank are being fueled by a growing number of countries signed up to the genocide and Geneva conventions, new research suggests, which legal experts warn could make them complicit in serious crimes against the Palestinian people.

Four tankers of American jet fuel primarily used for military aircraft have been shipped to Israel since the start of its aerial bombardment of Gaza in October.

Three shipments departed from Texas after the landmark international court of justice (ICJ) ruling on 26 January ordered Israel to prevent genocidal acts in Gaza. The ruling reminded states that under the genocide convention they have a “common interest to ensure the prevention, suppression and punishment of genocide”.

Overall, almost 80% of the jet fuel, diesel and other refined petroleum products supplied to Israel by the US over the past nine months was shipped after the January ruling, according to the new research commissioned by the non-profit Oil Change International and shared exclusively with the Guardian.

Researchers analyzed shipping logs, satellite images and other open-source industry data to track 65 oil and fuel shipments to Israel between 21 October last year and 12 July.

It suggests a handful of countries – Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Gabon, Nigeria, Brazil and most recently the Republic of the Congo and Italy – have supplied 4.1m tons of crude oil to Israel, with almost half shipped since the ICJ ruling. An estimated two-thirds of crude came from investor-owned and private oil companies, according to the research, which is refined by Israel for domestic, industrial and military use.

Israel relies heavily on crude oil and refined petroleum imports to run its large fleet of fighter jets, tanks and other military vehicles and operations, as well as the bulldozers implicated in clearing Palestinian homes and olive groves to make way for unlawful Israeli settlements.

In response to the new findings, UN and other international law experts called for an energy embargo to prevent further human rights violations against the Palestinian people – and an investigation into any oil and fuels shipped to Israel that have been used to aid acts of alleged genocide and other serious international crimes.

“After the 26 January ICJ ruling, states cannot claim they did not know what they were risking to partake in,” said Francesca Albanese, the UN special rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territory, adding that under international law, states have obligations to prevent genocide and respect and ensure respect for the Geneva conventions.[...]

“In the case of the US jet-fuel shipments, there are serious grounds to believe that there is a breach of the genocide convention for failure to prevent and disavowal of the ICJ January ruling and provisional measures,” said Albanese. “Other countries supplying oil and other fuels absolutely also warrant further investigation.”

In early August, a tanker delivered an estimated 300,000 barrels of US jet fuel to Israel after being unable to dock in Spain or Gibraltar amid mounting protests and warnings from international legal experts. Days later, more than 50 groups wrote to the Greek government calling for a war-crimes investigation after satellite images showed the vessel in Greek waters.

Last week, the US released $3.5bn to Israel to spend on US-made weapons and military equipment, despite reports from UN human rights experts and other independent investigations that Israeli forces are violating international law in Gaza and the occupied West Bank. A day later, the US approved a further $20bn in weapons sales, including 50 fighter jets, tank ammunition and tactical vehicles.

The sale and transfer of jet fuel – and arms – “increase the ability of Israel, the occupying power, to commit serious violations”, according to the UN human rights council resolution in March.

The US is the biggest supplier of fuel and weapons to Israel. Its policy was unchanged by the ICJ ruling, according to the White House.

“The case for the US’s complicity in genocide is very strong,” aid Dr Shahd Hammouri, lecturer in international law at the University of Kent and the author of Shipments of Death. “It’s providing material support, without which the genocide and other illegalities are not possible. The question of complicity for the other countries will rely on assessment of how substantial their material support has been.”[...]

A spokesperson for the Brazilian president’s office said oil and fuel trades were carried out directly by the private sector according to market rules: “Although the government’s stance on Israel’s current military action in Gaza is well known, Brazil’s traditional position on sanctions is to not apply or support them unilaterally.

Azerbaijan, the largest supplier of crude to Israel since October, will host the 29th UN climate summit in November, followed by Brazil in 2025.[...]

The Biden administration did not respond to requests for comment, nor did Vice-President Kamala Harris’s presidential election campaign team.

Israel is a small country with a relatively large army and air force. It has no operational cross-border fossil fuel pipelines, and relies heavily on maritime imports.[...]

The new data suggests:

•Half the crude oil in this period came from Azerbaijan (28%) and Kazakhstan (22%). Azeri crude is delivered via the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) pipeline, majority-owned and operated by BP. The crude oil is loaded on to tankers at the Turkish port of Ceyhan for delivery to Israel. Turkey recently submitted a formal bid to join South Africa’s genocide case against Israel at the ICJ.

•African countries supplied 37% of the total crude, with 22% coming from Gabon, 9% from Nigeria and 6% from the Republic of the Congo.

•In Europe, companies in Italy, Greece and Albania appear to have supplied refined petroleum products to Israel since the ICJ ruling. Last month, Israel also received crude from Italy – a major oil importer. A spokesperson said the Italian government had “no information” about the recent shipments.

•Cyprus provided transshipment services to tankers supplying crude oil from Gabon, Nigeria, and Kazakhstan.[...]

Just six major international fossil-fuel companies – BP, Chevron, Eni, ExxonMobil, Shell and TotalEnergies – could be linked to 35% of the crude oil supplied to Israel since October, the OCI analysis suggests. This is based on direct stakes in oilfields supplying Israeli and/or the companies’ shares in production nationally.[...]

Last week, Colombia suspended coal exports to Israel “to prevent and stop acts of genocide against the Palestinian people”, according to the decree signed by President Gustavo Petro. Petro wrote on X: “With Colombian coal they make bombs to kill the children of Palestine.”

20 Aug 24

[materialsscienceandengineering]

Up-cycling petroleum waste into a high-performance yet sustainable triboelectric nanogenerator

A striking landmark in Vancouver, Canada, "The Big Yellow Sulfur Pile" is a testament to the massive amounts of elemental sulfur produced from the hydrodesulfurization process of petroleum refining. In 2013, Prof. Pyun's group from the University of Arizona developed inverse vulcanization, a method to synthesize a sulfur-rich polymer (SRP) containing elemental sulfur content of more than 50 wt% in the backbone of this new polymer. This elemental sulfur was synthesized as a chemically stable and solid-state SRP by copolymerizing it with a π-bond containing comonomer. SRPs have usually been applied to make polymer-based infrared (IR) optics due to their intrinsically high transparency and high refractive index in the IR region, replacing expensive and fragile typical IR materials like Ge, ZnS, and ZnSe. Beyond this optical application, a research team led by Professor Jeong Jae (JJ) Wie from the Department of Organic and Nano Engineering at Hanyang University are now turning this vibrant yellow waste into a valuable resource for sustainable energy.

Read more.

[darkmaga-retard]

When the Department of Energy announced that it had successfully replenished the nation's stockpile with the total purchased volume of 40 million barrels, the announcement had some people scratching their heads. 

The Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR), as the stockpile is called, contained over 630 million barrels of crude oil when President Biden took office in January 2021. Last week, it had less than 376 million barrels. How did the DOE refill the SPR with only 40 million barrels? 

“I think it's a very purposely worded, misleading press release to make it seem like it replenished the SPR. And that's not true at all,” Robert Rapier, a chemical engineer and editor in chief of Shale Magazine, told Just the News.

The July press release announced that the DOE had awarded a contract for the purchase of 4.65 million barrels of crude oil for the SPR, bringing the total amount of oil purchased for its refilling to 43.25 million barrels.

“On top of the 140 million barrels of oil secured by working with Congress to cancel previously-mandated sales, this brings the total purchased or kept in the SPR since 2022 to 180 million barrels – the full amount sold following the unprecedented Russian war against Ukraine,” the DOE release stated. 

[rjzimmerman]

Excerpt from this story from Politico/E&E News:

CARPINTERIA, California — Two hulking platforms have sucked oil out of the ocean floor off this sunny local beach for nearly five decades.

The Hogan and Houchin platforms are now rusting monuments to California’s once-powerful fossil fuel industry. Abandoned by their last owner, they should have been torn down years ago.

But a series of companies tied to the platforms say it’s not their job — and now, they want the federal government to take on the multimillion-dollar responsibility.

The saga echoes the unfolding fight to clean up the nation’s deteriorating fossil fuel infrastructure. More than 2,700 offshore oil and gas wells and 500 platforms are overdue for decommissioning in the Gulf of Mexico alone, according to a recent report from the Government Accountability Office.

The Interior Department has long struggled to ensure oil companies pay up and clean up once they’ve stopped pumping oil, a challenge that could only increase as decades-old infrastructure off the nation’s coastlines faces retirement. If not maintained, old platforms and their wells can leak toxins and degrade ecosystems, becoming serious environmental hazards.

“The agency has recognized these problems for years,” said John Smith, who worked on decommissioning at Interior’s former Minerals Management Service (MMS). “When it comes to doing something about it, they’re weak-kneed.”

Interior could soon find itself on the hook for the millions of dollars required to safely remove the two California platforms. That’s because the companies that once owned a stake in Hogan and Houchin — ConocoPhillips, Occidental Petroleum and Devon Energy — are appealing an order to take the platforms down, testing a federal regulation that requires former owners to ensure cleanup.

The stakes are high for Interior. Experts say its rule may not withstand opposition if oil majors take it to court, with uncertain consequences for a potentially enormous backlog of oil and gas wells, platforms and pipelines that are past their prime and owned by midsize companies more likely to go into financial distress.

In a statement, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management said those beefed-up requirements would “ensure the taxpayer is protected from financial loss from offshore decommissioning liability.”

Environmental groups are already on board with President Joe Biden’s proposed rules. They look at Hogan and Houchin as a preamble to the kind of costs that could emerge during the gradual retirement of the nation’s oil program due to its climate impacts.

[kp777]

By Jessica Corbett

Common Dreams

May 7, 2024

The Groundwork Collaborative's leader also said that "the Department of Justice should criminally prosecute Scott Sheffield," the former Pioneer CEO whom the FTC blocked from joining ExxonMobil's board.

Groundwork Collaborative executive director Lindsay Owens on Tuesday responded to U.S. government allegations of fossil fuel industry price fixing with calls for federal prosecution and congressional action to return money to the American public.

"Americans have been working harder and harder to cover rising energy costs, with the understanding that supply chain snags and geopolitical forces were keeping prices high," Owens said. "Now the Federal Trade Commission has uncovered the real source behind the price at the pump: collusion."

"The Department of Justice should criminally prosecute Scott Sheffield and Congress should tax back the industry's windfall profits and issue every American a refund," she added, referring to Pioneer Natural Resources' founder and longtime CEO.

Owens' statement came after members of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) declined to contest ExxonMobil's controversial $64.5 billion acquisition of Pioneer—which was completed Friday—but approved a consent order barring Sheffield from serving on Exxon's board of directors or as an adviser to the fossil fuel giant.

"This complaint is a wake-up call about the dangerous consolidation of Big Oil's economic and political power."

The FTC voted 3-2 to accept the order and place related documents on the record for public comment. Citing communications including in-person meetings, public statements, text messages, and WhatsApp conversations, a commission complaint accuses Sheffield of trying to collude with the representatives of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and OPEC+.

"Mr. Sheffield's past conduct makes it crystal clear that he should be nowhere near Exxon's boardroom. American consumers shouldn't pay unfair prices at the pump simply to pad a corporate executive's pocketbook," said Kyle Mach, deputy director of the FTC's Bureau of Competition. "The FTC will remain vigilant in its enforcement efforts to protect competition in these vital markets."

Pioneer toldFortune that the company and its founder "believe that the FTC's complaint reflects a fundamental misunderstanding of the U.S. and global oil markets and misreads the nature and intent of Mr. Sheffield's actions," but neither party would take "any steps to prevent the merger from closing."

ExxonMobil "learned of the FTC's allegations regarding Sheffield from the agency and said in a statement that they are 'entirely inconsistent with how we do business,'" according to Fortune. "Exxon has agreed to the terms of the consent decree," which also "prohibits the oil giant from appointing any Pioneer employee or director to its board for five years."

Still, since the FTC's allegations were initially reported by The Wall Street Journal last week and then confirmed with the complaint's release, demands for additional action by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and Congress have mounted.

Cassidy DiPaola, Fossil Free Media's director of communications, on Monday called the complaint "explosive" and said that Democrats "must respond with bold action to hold this rogue industry accountable," including:

Aggressive congressional and DOJ investigations into the full extent of Big Oil's price fixing;

A windfall profits tax to claw back ill-gotten gains; and

End taxpayer subsidies for oil and gas.

"But accountability is just the first step. This complaint is a wake-up call about the dangerous consolidation of Big Oil's economic and political power. We can't let them use megamergers to entrench their control and crush clean energy competition," she stressed. "Ultimately, this is about the future we choose: One where we remain at the mercy of Big Oil's greed and destruction, or one where clean, democratically controlled energy powers our communities. It's time to make the right choice."

In response to the Journal's reporting, Tyson Slocum, director of Public Citizen's Energy Program, similarly said that "Congress must immediately hold hearings on Big Oil's alleged collusion with OPEC to raise gasoline prices for Americans."

"Congress must not only investigate Pioneer's alleged role in conspiring with OPEC, but whether there existed a broader conspiracy by U.S. oil companies to collude with OPEC nations," he argued. "Big Oil must be held accountable for any conspiracy by or among American oil companies and OPEC members."

The reporting was notably published on the same day as the U.S. Senate Budget Committee's hearing about a nearly three-year investigation into fossil fuel companies and trade groups' decadeslong "campaign of deception and distraction," which has evolved from denying the planet-heating impact of their products to pretending to be part of the solution to the climate emergency.

"The joint report and documents we discovered show how, time and again, the biggest oil and gas corporations say one thing for the purposes of public consumption but do something completely different to protect their profits," Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), the ranking member on the House Oversight Committee, testified during the hearing. "Company officials will admit the terrifying reality of their business model behind closed doors but say something entirely different, false, and soothing to the public."

[dertaglichedan]

The Biden administration is selling off a million barrels of gasoline from an emergency reserve in a deliberate effort to cut prices ahead of the upcoming holiday weekend.

The Department of Energy (DOE) announced that it has awarded contracts to five energy companies to purchase the barrels the administration is releasing from the Northeast Gasoline Supply Reserve (NGSR), which is part of the federal Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) system. The NGSR releases are intended to “help lower gas prices ahead of the Fourth of July holiday,” according to DOE.

“The Biden-Harris Administration continues to take strategic action to lower prices for American consumers in every aspect of their lives— especially as summer driving season ramps up,” Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm said of the contracts. “By releasing this reserve ahead of July 4th, we are ensuring sufficient supply flows to the Northeast at a time hardworking Americans need it the most.”

🤬

[mycelebrityandi]

US recovers $53m ‘proceeds of illicitly awarded contracts’ involving Diezani, Aluko, Omokore The US department of justice has announced the final resolution of two civil cases seeking the forfeiture of the luxury assets that were laundered in and through the country in a case involving #diezanialisonmadueke former minister of petroleum resources, and her associates. Diezani’s associates who were named in the forfeiture case are #kolaaluko a Nigerian businessman, and #jideomokore chairman of Atlantic Energy Drilling Concepts Nigeria Limited. The department said the forfeited assets were the “proceeds of foreign corruption offenses”. In a statement released on its website on Monday, the US department of justice disclosed that “roughly $53.1 million in cash, plus a promissory note with a principal value of $16 million” have been recovered as part of “proceeds of illicitly awarded contracts” involving the trio — Diezeani, Aluko, and Omokore. “According to court documents, from 2011 to 2015, Nigerian businessmen Kolawole Akanni Aluko and Olajide Omokore conspired with others to pay bribes to Nigeria’s former minister for petroleum resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, who oversaw Nigeria’s state-owned oil company,” the statement reads. “In return, Alison-Madueke used her influence to steer lucrative oil contracts to companies owned by Aluko and Omokore. The proceeds of those illicitly awarded contracts totaling more than $100 million were then laundered in and through the United States and used to purchase various assets through shell companies, including luxury real estate in California and New York as well as the Galactica Star, a 65-meter superyacht. “The real estate was also used as collateral for loans to Aluko and shell companies he controlled. As part of the forfeiture process, those lien holders were paid.” #scam #nigeria #mycelebrityandi https://www.instagram.com/p/CqXkoQwLw8h/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[beardedmrbean]

The value of Finland's imports from Russia was 257 million euros in September. Compared to September of last year, imports have shrunk by 66 percent, according to preliminary data from Finnish Customs.

Helsingin Sanomat writes (siirryt toiseen palveluun)that there are now more than 80 percent fewer Finnish companies importing goods from Russia than there were a year ago. 

The EU has already imposed eight rounds of trade sanctions on Russia, and the European Commission is currently preparing a ninth package.

However, a large number of products remain outside the sanctions. For example, uranium is not on the sanctions list, and in Finland's Fortum energy company still uses Russian uranium as fuel for nuclear power plants.

Customs estimated in October that around 90 Finnish companies still import products from Russia.

So what else is still being imported from Russia to Finland?

Looking at the most recent preliminary statistics on foreign trade by Finnish Customs, Helsingin Sanomat writes that the list is still a long one, even though the volume of imports has decreased.

In terms of value in September, nickel and nickel goods, especially for use in the battery industry, topped the list. Refined oil in various forms was the second most imported by value. 

Sami Rakshit, the director of the Customs' board's Enforcement Department, pointed out to the paper that in the big picture, the volume of imports of nickel and petroleum products is quite small compared to normal years.

Rakshit also told Helsingin Sanomat that the import of consumer goods from Russia is now completely marginal.

However, he noted that consumers may still come across products of Russian origin. One example he gave was car tyres.

"Rubber and tyres came under embargo already at the beginning of the year, but that does not rule out the possibility that tyres produced in Russia are still on sale somewhere. It depends on how long stocks have lasted," said Rakshit.

Police ready for demonstrations

The Swedish-language daily Hufvudstadsbladet reports (siirryt toiseen palveluun) that Helsinki police are preparing for demonstrations on Independence Day, Tuesday 6 December.

Several demonstrations are expected in the capital and reinforcements are being brought in from some other police departments. 

For operational reasons, the head of the Helsinki police department's response and surveillance unit, Jarmo Heinonen, declined to say how many officers will be deployed or on standby but did note that Independence Day is one of the biggest annual events for the police.

Notifications of planned demonstration can be submitted as late as 24 hours in advance, so the situation can be quite fluid.

Both nationalist, right-wing demonstrations and counter-demonstrations are expected. Heinonen says that police aim at preventing any clashes between the groups.

University students will also be holding their traditional torchlight procession. 

Most marches and demonstrations are scheduled for similar times and traffic in the centre of the city will be affected.

Hufvudstadsbladet notes that Independence Day has become increasingly established as a day for demonstrations, and since the end of the Covid-19 pandemic, various organisers have again become more active.

Fall in births

Tampere's Aamulehti carries a STT Finnish News Agency report (siirryt toiseen palveluun)that a researcher at Statistics Finland says the national birth rate may fall to an all-time low this year.

The latest figures from the Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) show Finland's birth increasing increased by more than six percent in 2021, continuing an upswing seen in 2020. 

This year, however, preliminary data gathered by Statistics Finland indicates a drop in the birth rate. This data shows that between January and October of this year, more than nine percent fewer children were born in Finland than in the same period of last year.

According to Markus Rapo, a demographer at Statistics Finland, the birth rate this year may hit a record low since the start of record keeping.

Rapo says that the 12-month total fertility rate in October in Finland was 1.34. The figure refers to the average number of children that women give birth to during their lifetimes.

So far, the lowest annual fertility rate in Finland was 1.35, registered in 2019. 

Slippery and more slippery

Ilta-Sanomat points out that a forecast (siirryt toiseen palveluun) of temperatures rising above the freezing point in southern parts of the country is likely to mean that snow and ice will start to melt, making roads and streets especially slippery.

Meanwhile, more snowfall is expected to move in from the southwest overnight.

The paper tells readers that the Finnish Meteorological Institute's traffic weather service is warning of potentially hazardous driving conditions starting Tuesday evening in Uusimaa and Kymenlaakso. During the night, the fresh snowfall will push deeper inland, affecting driving conditions in Päijät-Häme, South Karelia and South Savo as well.

This probably means that southern Finland will continue to enjoy a white winter. Of course, says Ilta-Sanomat, it may be slushy and slippery at times, so pedestrians are also warned to watch their step. 

[p-a-s]

Selection and Application of Liquid Flowmeter

Reading guide: The liquid volume flowmeter consists of a chamber with a known volume and moving parts. The liquid passing through the flow is calculated by determining the volume of the container and the number of movements of the moving parts. According to the characteristics of liquid volume flowmeter, it can be divided into the following types: waist wheel flowmeter, oval gear flowmeter, scraper flowmeter, double rotor flowmeter, reciprocating piston flowmeter, rotary piston flowmeter, screw flowmeter, etc. Structure and principle of the liquid volumetric flowmeter calibration device The liquid accumulation calibration device consists of the quick connector, hydraulic hose, hydraulic filter, standard flowmeter, temperature transformer, pressure transformer, computer system, hydraulic source, etc. The hydraulic oil source also includes a hydraulic oil tank, variable frequency motor, hydraulic variable pump, hydraulic safety valve, and other components. The main features are compact installation, easy use, the same calibration medium, strong movement ability, and the ability to provide hydraulic oil. The working mode of the liquid flow controller is as follows: match through quick connection and replacement, and lead the hydraulic hose into the displaced liquid flow controller calibration device; The hydraulic power converter of the investment department generates clean and stable liquid flow through the hydraulic pump, hydraulic filter, etc. Capture the cumulative flow value determined by the computer system using the calibrated flowmeter and the standard flowmeter, and capture the temperature and pressure on the calibrated flowmeter and the standard flowmeter; The measured value error of calibrated flow is determined by the computer software system. Main characteristics and application of common liquid flowmeter Volumetric flowmeter Volumetric flow meters (also called volume-specific flow values) are general-purpose instruments with the highest accuracy. The measured components can also be divided into the following main features: pitch circle (two rotors), plate flow measurement, oval gear flow measurement, rotary piston flow measurement, circulation flow measurement, etc.

① Advantages: high measurement accuracy; It can be used for measuring high viscosity fluid and simple phase fluid; The instrument does not need external energy to directly record the total flow. It is easy to install without special requirements for front and rear tangent lines. ② Disadvantages: not suitable for high temperature and low temperature; Type of measuring center with limited diameter; Pressure drop; Periodic calibration is required. ③ Application: Volume traffic signs, due to their high-precision measurement in energy, petroleum, medicine, food, chemistry, and other fields, especially raw materials and other fields, must be measured for storage, transfer, and distribution, and used as the basis for a financial settlement, or as a legal indicator of the contract between two tax dealers.

Differential The differential is one of the most commonly used flowmeter types, which can be divided into diverter flowmeter, Venturi flowmeter, average line current, etc. according to the test piece (inlet instrument). The main features are: ① Advantages: single-phase fluid has a wide range of measurement methods, some mixed fluids; Simple structure, easy maintenance, the long service life of control components and detonators, display equipment produced by different manufacturers, improving economies of scale. ② Disadvantages: general customization accuracy; Large pressure loss (orifice plate, nozzle, etc.) The assembly constraint shall be high, and there shall be enough straight pipelines before and after assembly. ③ Nozzle: When measuring the flow in the closed pipe for the first time, the differential can be used for projects under different conditions where the flow is about 1/4-1/3 of the total flow. Ultrasonic assistance The ultrasonic flowmeter can be generally divided into plug-in type, pipe section type, external clamp type, and portable type. ① Advantages: large diameter non-contact measurement, large flow calculation; Pressure loss, no fluid disturbance; Suitable for every liquid, easy to install and maintain. ② Disadvantages: When the measured liquid contains bubbles or noise, the measurement accuracy will be affected; The temperature range of the measured liquid is limited by the heat of the ultrasonic protection and the communication materials between the switch and the line, and the original data for measuring the high temperature of the liquid is incomplete. ③ Application: Ultrasonic velocimeter is often used in petroleum, chemistry, metal, electric power, and other fields, and is often used to measure the emission reduction of gas pipelines in factories, fluids, and work areas.

Turbine speed Intel Remax accelerated technology plan has been expanded to multiple categories in mass production, and its main features are as follows: ① High precision, usually ± 0.25% r - ± 0.5% r, up to ± 0.25% r - ± 0.5% r; Repeat at most 0.05% r-0.2% r for a short time; Zero contact movement, sturdy and durable. ② Disadvantages: The physical characteristics of the liquid have a great influence on the flow characteristics; Calibration characteristics cannot be saved for a long time. ③ Application. A turbine flow counter is usually used to measure oil, organic liquid, inorganic liquid, and liquid frozen body. The first terminal of the main raw material pipeline is used for commercial calculation of automobile exhaust, gas stations, and light hydropower plants.

Vortex flowmeter The vortex flowmeter is the latest flowmeter, but it has developed rapidly and has become a common category. Its main characteristics are as follows. ① Advantages: wide application range, liquid, gas, and steam flow measurement can be used; Small pressure loss; Easy installation, simple and durable structure. ② Disadvantages: poor anti-interference ability; Straight pipe section is required before and after installation; The application experience in pulsating flow and multiphase flow is still lacking. ③ Application: Vortex flowmeter has a wide range of applications, usually used in the factory water supply system, and its application will be limited in the case of high viscosity, low flow rate, and small diameter.

General criteria for flowmeter selection and calibration device Determine the technical requirements for flow measurement and the correctness of the flowmeter, that is, the accuracy requirements for measuring liquid; The flow measurement is repeated, that is, the same measurement is performed multiple times under specific conditions to repeat the same measurement. The expression of flow measurement, that is, whether the flow is mass flow or flow, real-time flow, or cumulative flow. Command and remove the transmission function if necessary. Specifies whether the flow measurement is displayed as a mechanical or electronic title. If the flowmeter does not meet the technical requirements of the measured liquid, measurement errors may also occur.

For the description of the flow calibration liquid calibration device, according to the flow requirements in jgg667-2010: ① The expanded uncertainty of the standard setting should generally not exceed 1/3 of the maximum allowable flow, because the expanded rate of the calibration device is 0.22%.

② Output or. The input line in the equipment used for online identification shall not include redirection between the flowmeter and the equipment designed as a locked cabinet without intermediate circuit. ③ "When the flowmeter is greater than 1.0, the flowmeter and liquid temperature must be measured according to the standard, and the temperature and pressure shall be measured near the standard flowmeter or calibrated flowmeter. Therefore, the liquid flow controller is applicable to the acceptance accuracy standard of Class 1.0 (allowable deviation ± 1.0%) and subsequent fluid calculation.

Conclusion In the process of liquid flow measurement, a liquid flowmeter is a major measuring tool and has been widely used in metallurgy, pharmacy, paper making, water conservancy, environmental protection, petrochemical, and other fields. In the actual online calibration process, the standard volume method, the standard meter method, and the electrical parameter method are all feasible online calibration methods. However, they all have different use conditions, which requires the staff to constantly summarize and analyze the use of online calibration methods for liquid flow meters, so that the calibration methods can be improved.

Article from: supmeaflow.com

[michaelbryanthicks]

Michael Bryant Hicks

 Most recently, Hicks was the Executive Vice President, General Counsel, and Corporate Secretary at Indianapolis-based Apria, Inc. (APR), the nation’s largest provider of home healthcare equipment and in-home clinical services for respiratory diseases, diabetes, and other illnesses. At Apria, he managed all legal and regulatory matters, enterprise risk, and government affairs. This work culminated in March 2022, when Hicks and the Apria management team completed negotiation for the sale of Apria to Owens & Minor, delivering a significant premium to shareholders, while placing the business on a trajectory for future value creation. Prior to Apria, Hicks was the General Counsel of Elanco Animal Health (ELAN), a $13.5 Billion market cap animal pharmaceutical company based in Greenfield, Indiana. Hicks led Elanco’s successful 2018 IPO and managed a legal department of 70 professionals in navigating the complex regulatory environment in which the company does business in the United States (FDA, USDA, EPA) and abroad (European Medicines Agency, Chinese FDA). A Trusted Voice in Healthcare and Life Sciences Matters: As a General Counsel, Hicks knows the experience of having the FDA order a company to recall one of its highest revenue products. He has also engaged in complex negotiations with commercial payers and delicate discussions with CMS on drug pricing. He deftly managed these situations by understanding the economic motivations of payers and the FDA and CMS regulatory environment. A Leader in Corporate Governance: Hicks has designed the boards of directors of two public companies in connection with their initial public offerings, developing the corporate governance processes the companies relied upon in their first years on public exchanges. He’s been the company interface with Glass Lewis, ISS, the SEC, and the NYSE. Hicks is the leader these companies have looked to on Environmental, Social, & Governance matters, matching the values and business goals of an enterprise with complementary issues of societal impact. He’s also been the lead negotiator in two major encounters with prominent activist investors. Navigating High Stakes Investigations and Litigation: As General Counsel at Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals, Hicks brought to successful settlement a DEA controlled substances investigation, a DOJ False Claims Act investigation, and an FTC investigation into alleged antitrust violations. He also led the formation of the company’s early strategy in the nationwide opioid litigation. A Leader in Transformative Deal Making: Hicks’s career began in global M&A as an energy lawyer with Vinson & Elkins law firm in Houston, Texas, where his engagements included a wide range of cross-border energy projects, including assisting Occidental Petroleum in financing and building oil production assets with the Ecuadorian state petroleum company Petroecuador. He continued large-scale global deal making in the healthcare and life sciences space as the lead lawyer in consummating some of the largest deals of the last decade: DaVita’s 2012 acquisition of HealthCare Partners ($4.4B), Elanco’s acquisition of Bayer Animal Health ($6.9B). Hicks earned a juris doctor from Yale Law School and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Michael Bryant Hicks

[materialsscienceandengineering]

Polyurethane is widely used in daily life, so eco-friendly synthesis boosts utilization

Senior Researcher Lim Sang-gyu, leading a team of researchers at the Department of Energy Convergence Research, DGIST, achieved a remarkable milestone with the development of an eco-friendly thermoplastic polyurethane boasting a staggering biocarbon content of 97%. This groundbreaking technology, created in collaboration with Jung Jae-hoon from the New Product Development Team and Jeon Cho-hyun from the New Business Planning Team at the Korea Textile Development Institute (KTDI), holds immense significance as it presents a sustainable alternative to conventional petroleum-based thermoplastic polyurethanes. Thermoplastic polyurethane is a remarkable material renowned for its outstanding mechanical properties, including abrasion resistance, resilience, tensile strength, and tear strength. Its versatility makes it widely used in various life and industrial applications such as industrial sheets, screen protection films, cases, footwear, artificial leather, and apparel materials.

Read more.

[voiceofentrepreneurlife]

India's exports decline by 9.3% in August

India’s merchandise exports fell by 9.3% to $34.7 billion in August, impacted by sluggish global demand and geopolitical issues, according to data from the commerce department.

In contrast, imports increased by 3.3% to $64.4 billion for the month, resulting in a trade deficit of $29.65 billion.

Commerce Secretary Sunil Barthwal noted that the significant slowdown in China, declining petroleum prices, the European recession, and challenges related to transportation and logistics have negatively influenced merchandise exports.

For the first three months of the financial year (April-June), India’s exports saw a 5.8% year-on-year growth, reaching $109.9 billion.

According to the World Trade Organization’s (WTO) April Global Trade Outlook and Statistics, the volume of global merchandise trade is expected to gradually rebound in 2024 and 2025 following a decline in 2023 as a result of the aftereffects of high energy prices and inflation in developed economies, especially in Europe.Read More-https://24x7newsroom.com/

[rjzimmerman]

Harris adviser Deese calls for Marshall Plan on clean energy. (Reuters)

Brian Deese, one of my friends from our HIV/AIDS charity work in Africa, is the Institute Innovation Fellow at MIT. He was recently appointed as an economic adviser for Vice President Harris' presidential campaign. Prior to that, he was the 13th director of the National Economic Council for President Biden, and he previously served in several capacities in the administration of President Obama. He also was a key player in negotiating the Paris Climate Accord, working with John Kerry.

His article in Foreign Affairs, which is summarized in this Reuters story, is brilliant. Here's the link to the original article (beware the paywall) entitled, "The Case for Clean Energy Marshall Plan."

Excerpt from this Reuters story:

Brian Deese, an economic adviser for Vice President Kamala Harris' presidential campaign, called on Thursday for an economic program to loan allies money to buy U.S. green energy technologies as part of a wider strategy intended to fight climate change.

Deese, who was an economic adviser under President Joe Biden and former President Barack Obama, billed it as a new version of the Marshall Plan, a mechanism of grants set up by President Harry Truman and Secretary of State George Marshall, to help Europe recover after World War Two.

"It should be as generous to our allies as it is unapologetically pro-American in its interest," Deese told Reuters.

While Deese is promoting the plan independently of his work as a Harris adviser, it could offer insight into potential policies of her presidency should she win on Nov. 5. The Harris campaign did not immediately comment.

Deese helped shape the Inflation Reduction Act, opens new tab, Biden's landmark legislation that contains billions of dollars to help spur clean energy and fight climate change. He said the IRA and other legislation created one of the biggest opportunities to speed clean energy, but the effort needs a mechanism to bring technologies to allies.

To support the plan, the U.S. should create a Clean Energy Finance Authority, with the ability to issue debt and equity for clean energy projects, Deese said in an article in Foreign Affairs published earlier this week. The plan could be part of a U.S. alternative to China's "Belt and Road" infrastructure initiative and assure U.S. leadership in a period of friction between global powers.

The new U.S. agency could draw on expertise of the Department of Energy's Loan Programs Office in assessing the risks and benefits of emerging technologies like advanced nuclear energy, hydrogen power, carbon capture, and geothermal power, Deese said. The LPO issues loan guarantees and low-rate loans to companies with promising technologies that have difficulty getting financing from commercial banks.

To support the plan, Deese also called for tools such as tariffs that favor imports from countries that cut emissions while making steel and other products, and the development of a strategic mineral reserve.

Such reserves would be held by the U.S. and allies to protect against supply chain shortages for the materials key to clean technologies and the domination of critical minerals trade by China.

After Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Deese helped set up a record sale of oil from the U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve to help moderate gasoline prices for U.S. drivers. That experience helped him see the importance of developing reserves for minerals, he said.

"My hope is we were moving out of the idea stage and into the opportunity to experiment and then build," such reserves, Deese said.

Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm said in a Reuters interview in June that the U.S. has been having conversations with allies in the International Energy Agency about collective reserves for critical minerals.

[smlblogtv]

NNPC Ltd/TotalEnergies’ $550 Million Ubeta Upstream Gas Project Takes Off

The $550 million upstream gas project between the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC ) and TotalEnergies on the development of the Ubeta field has taken off, the Presidency announced on Tuesday. Special Adviser to the President on Energy, Olu Verheijen, disclosed this during an inaugural US-Nigeria Strategic Energy Dialogue, hosted by the U.S. State Department in Washington, DC. The…

[ejesgistnews]

Top Nigerian Newspaper Headlines online Today, What are the top Nigerian Newspaper Headlines for Today?  Staying updated on the latest developments in Nigeria is essential, especially in today's fastpaced world. Here are the top 10 Nigerian newspaper headlines for September 16, 2024, that capture the most significant news across the country.   From breaking stories to indepth analyses, these headlines reflect the top news in Nigeria this morning. Whether you're interested in politics, business, or social issues, these latest Nigerian newspaper headlines will keep you informed. Dive into the top stories in Nigeria today and stay ahead with the latest updates.   The latest Nigerian Newspaper headlines for September.  Here are the 10 Nigerian newspaper headlines for September 16, 2024: Here are the full details of the top Nigerian newspaper headlines for today, September 16, 2024: 1. Dangote Refinery Refutes NNPCL's N898/Litre Price Claims: The Dangote Refinery has denied selling petrol to the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) at N898 per litre. The refinery described the claims as misleading and mischievous, aimed at undermining its achievements in addressing energy insufficiency. The refinery emphasized that the current stock of crude was procured in dollars, and pricing adjustments will follow a formal announcement. 2. NNPCL Reveals Purchase Price of Petrol from Dangote Refinery: NNPCL insists it bought petrol from the Dangote Refinery at N898 per litre. The company has documents to support this claim and has started loading the first set of petrol from the refinery. NNPCL spokesperson Femi Soneye confirmed that 16.8 million litres of petrol have been lifted from the refinery. 3. Abuja Van Drivers Appeal to Wike Over Conflicting Permits: Delivery van drivers in Abuja have petitioned FCT Minister Ezenwo Nyesom Wike to address issues of conflicting permits and double charges. They report that two departments under the FCT Administration are issuing different permits, causing confusion and financial strain. The drivers are forced to purchase both permits, with costs ranging from N35,000 to N50,000. 4. Flooding in Maiduguri Raises Concerns Over Escaped Terrorists: Severe flooding in Maiduguri has led to the escape of 281 inmates, including Boko Haram terrorists, from the Maiduguri correctional facility. Governor Babagana Zulum expressed serious concerns about the potential escape of these dangerous individuals. The Nigerian Correctional Service has recaptured seven inmates and is intensifying efforts to locate the remaining escapees. 5. Peter Obi Criticizes Presidency for Trump Comparison: Peter Obi, the Labour Party's 2023 presidential candidate, has criticized the presidency for comparing him to former U.S. President Donald Trump. Obi described the comparison as an attempt to undermine his credibility and distract from the current administration's shortcomings. He emphasized that such comparisons are misguided and futile. 6. Wike's Former Media Aide Confident in Fubara's 2027 Bid: Opunabo Inkor Tariah, former media aide to exGovernor Wike, expressed confidence that Governor Siminalayi Fubara will secure a second term in 2027. He highlighted Fubara's massoriented projects and dismissed Wike's criticisms as unfounded⁶. The political landscape in Rivers State remains tense as both Wike and Fubara consolidate their strengths ahead of the 2027 elections. 7. Finance Minister Pleads for Time on Petrol Price Reduction: Finance Minister Wale Edun has asked Nigerians to give the Dangote Refinery time to lower petrol prices. He emphasized that the refinery's current stock of crude was procured in dollars, and pricing adjustments will follow a formal announcement. The government is working to reduce unnecessary costs to lower the prices of petroleum products. 8. PMAN Leadership Crisis Deepens: The Performing Musicians Employers Association of Nigeria (PMAN) is facing a deepening leadership crisis. The National

Executive Council (NEC) has suspended several key members, including Sunny Neji and Zaaki Azzay, over allegations of misconduct and attempts to undermine the association's integrity. The crisis has escalated following the suspension of PMAN President Pretty Okafor. 9. NNPCL Trucks Load First Set of Petrol at Dangote Refinery: NNPCL has started loading the first set of petrol from the Dangote Refinery. This marks a significant milestone in Nigeria's efforts to address fuel scarcity and reduce reliance on imported petroleum products. The refinery aims to achieve its full capacity of 650,000 barrels per day by the end of the year. 10. Naira May Rebound with FG's $900m Domestic Dollar Bond: Analysts predict that the Naira may rebound following the Federal Government's issuance of a $900 million domestic dollar bond. This move is expected to boost Nigeria's foreign reserves and stabilize the currency. The bond issuance saw an impressive over 180% subscription, highlighting investor confidence in Nigeria's economic stability.   That is all for today on Nigerian Newspaper Headlines. Click here more Naija News. [caption id="attachment_141833" align="alignnone" width="650"] Nigerian Newspaper Headlines photo file[/caption]

[molsons112000]

How The U.S. Is Pumping More Oil Than Any Country In History

So we can take natural gas as well as methane gas and turn it into hydrogen energy....

To turn natural gas into hydrogen energy, a process called "steam methane reforming" is used, where high-temperature steam reacts with methane (the primary component of natural gas) in the presence of a catalyst, producing hydrogen, carbon monoxide, and a small amount of carbon dioxide; the carbon monoxide can then be further reacted with water to generate additional hydrogen, making it the most common method for hydrogen production from natural gas. 

Key points about this process: 

Chemical reaction:

Methane (CH4) from natural gas reacts with steam (H2O) to form hydrogen (H2), carbon monoxide (CO), and a small amount of carbon dioxide (CO2). 

High temperature needed:

This reaction requires high temperatures (around 700°C - 1000°C) and a catalyst to facilitate the process. 

Carbon capture and storage (CCS):

To reduce emissions, carbon capture technologies can be integrated to capture the produced CO2 and store it underground. 

Why is this important? 

Hydrogen as a clean fuel:

While burning natural gas directly releases CO2, using hydrogen produced from natural gas can be considered cleaner as the only emission when burned is water vapor. 

Potential for energy storage:

Hydrogen can be stored and transported easily, making it a potential solution for intermittent renewable energy sources like solar and wind. 

Department of Energy

Hydrogen Production: Natural Gas Reforming | Department of Energy

Then we can take the remaining C02 or Carbon dioxide And turn that into an energy source that's similar to hydrogen, that can power hydrogen fuel cells.... So all those in the carbon capture business, you can take carbon dioxide and convert that into a form of energy that can power hydrogen fuel cells. That also means all methane gas can be turned into hydrogen. That is from waste dumps or methane. That is released from drilling for oil, capturing that methane and turning that into energy....

MIT News

news.mit.edu

Engineers develop an efficient process to make fuel from ...

Oct 30, 2023 — An efficient new process can convert carbon dioxide into formate, a material that can be used like hydrogen or methanol to power a fuel cell

Then we can use microbes to break down oil, turn oil into natural gas, and then break down the natural gas into hydrogen, and this other fuel Source mentioned above from mit and can turn that into energy that powers fuel cells....

Now these microbes break down oil and turn it into methane gas, as well as carbon dioxide, and both can be turned into hydrogen and the alternative form the carbon dioxide to power fuel cells.....

This microbe, an archaeon named Methanoliparia, transforms the hydrocarbons by a process called alkane disproportionation: It splits the oil into methane and carbon dioxide.Aug 20, 2019

https://www.mpg.de › 0819-mbio-...

Some microbes degrade oil to gas | Max-Planck-Gesellschaft

So the United States can be the largest exporter of oil and natural gas, and it can transform them into hydrogen and other alternative energy sources, such as liquid natural gas as well...

There is also six thousand plus products that can be made from petroleum and yes, you can turn natural gas into oil and turn that oil into any of these six thousand products...

The process of converting natural gas into oil is known as gas-to-liquids (GTL) and involves several stages:

1. Synthesis gas production

Natural gas is reacted with oxygen to produce a synthesis gas (syngas) that's mainly made of carbon monoxide and hydrogen.

2. Synthesis gas conversion

The syngas is converted into a liquid hydrocarbon using a catalyst. This liquid looks and feels like wax at room temperature.

3. Cracking and isomerization

The liquid is then "tailored" to create products with specific properties, such as diesel, kerosene, and lubricant oil. 

The GTL process is similar to processes that have been used for years to make ammonia and methanol. 

Senergy Petroleum  ·  

YouTube · 1y

Can you really make Engine Oil from Natural Gas - Senergy ...

and though I know you're not all going to be rush out to become organic chemists after this I'm going to give you the basics of it right natural gas...

Department of Energy (.gov)

https://www.energy.gov › filesPDF

Products Made from Oil and Natural Gas

Petrochemicals derived from oil and natural gas make the manufacturing of over 6,000

Now we can also take other forms of oil, vegetable oil, sunflower seed, oil, cotton seed oil, and hemp Oil, and make hundreds or thousands of products as well!!!!!

So this video shows you the oil and natural gas. The u s is the leader and is exporting more and more every year!!!!!!